8 Investing in infrastructure
New and remodeled facilities address short-term, long-term COVID-19 concerns for tribal citizens and employees
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On the frontlines
Cherokee Nation Health Services using expansion of telehealth, other proactive measures to fend off community spread of COVID-19
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Road to recovery Cherokee Nation’s Respond, Recover and Rebuild COVID-19 initiatives have provided direct assistance to more than 215,000 Cherokee citizens living around the world
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ON THE COVER:
Medical science, facts and compassion
RIGHT:
The Cherokee Nation’s fight against COVID-19 and the tribe’s ongoing recovery initiatives have been at the forefront of government and health care services throughout Indian Country
Cherokee Nation employees Ashlee Fox, Joseph Price and Ethan Green load boxes of groceries into citizens' vehicles.
Deputy Chief Bryan Warner and Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. help load boxes of food for Cherokee elders as part of the tribe's COVID-19 response efforts.
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6 NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ Six million meals served The largest emergency food distribution effort in Cherokee Nation history helped feed more than 9 6,000 citizens amid global pandemic Investing in infrastructure New and remodeled facilities address short-term, long-term COVID-19 concerns for tribal citizens and employees
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Responsible hospitality Cherokee Nation Businesses implementing strategies that support safe environments for guests, employees 14 PEOPLE ᎠᏂᏴᏫ Getting back to work Career Services department providing extensive training opportunities for Cherokees hit hard by COVID-19 Stopping the spread Cherokee Nation's contact tracing team works to curb the virus On the frontlines Cherokee Nation Health Services using expansion of telehealth, other proactive measures to fend off community spread of COVID-19 Life-saving services Cherokee families grateful for aggressive, compassionate COVID-19 treatment through C herokee Nation Health Services
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Road to recovery Cherokee Nation’s Respond, Recover and Rebuild COVID-19 initiatives have provided direct assistance to more than 215,000 Cherokee citizens living around the world 28 CULTURE ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ Protecting the language Cherokee speakers among most vulnerable to COVID-19’s impact A changing landscape Cherokee Nation adapting to innovative outreach opportunities during COVID-19
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ᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯ ᏂᏓᏳᏅᏅ ᎧᏃᎮᏍᎩ MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF OSIYO. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global crisis for most of 2020, and Cherokee Nation has felt its negative effects. I certainly can’t think of a scarier time in modern history. For the health and welfare of our citizens, it has been the greatest crisis of our lifetime. Not only has this been a health care challenge, but it has been an educational challenge, a food security challenge and an economic challenge. And each hurdle presents enormous odds for our people. Against this backdrop, Deputy Chief Bryan Warner and I launched into our first full year in our respective roles. We have learned so much from these experiences and these trying months. I know it will shape us into better leaders for our tribal nation. From the beginning of this pandemic, I have pledged that Cherokee Nation’s response would be guided by medical science, facts and compassion. At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I issued an order that Cherokee Nation Businesses temporarily shutter its successful gaming operations to keep our employees, citizens and communities safe. It was the right decision, though we knew temporary suspension of operations would have a huge impact not just on the tribe, but on economic activity in northeast Oklahoma.
Editor Josh Newton Designer Stephanie Remer Contributing staff Julie Hubbard Samantha Robinson KenLea Henson Jason McCarty Arielle Barnett Dan Mink Brandon Scott Whitney Dittman Leanna Reeder Olivia Jones Lauren Jones Darcy Stephens Jason Dobson Sarah Harrell
To mitigate long-term damage, we launched the Respond, Recover and Rebuild plan to offset unexpected expenses, protect employee paychecks, increase infrastructure, expand programs for the most vulnerable Cherokees and invest in communities to expedite recovery. We’ve continued to roll out new programs and harness innovative ideas to help Cherokee Nation citizens through the pandemic, reaching more than 215,000 citizens directly through early November, while more programs were rolling out. The initiatives are improving the economic health of our entire region, because recovering the economy is essential to protecting our families, as well as our individual mental and physical health. We all know somebody who has been touched by COVID-19, and unfortunately, many of us have lost loved ones. Losing elders and traditional speakers has been heartbreaking, but I am inspired every day when I see our Cherokee people coming together to fight the pandemic. Our government is a force of good in northeast Oklahoma and will continue to lead the way. I’m encouraged by the steps we have taken and I know that together, we will emerge from this chapter in history stronger than ever. Wado,
Chuck Hoskin Jr. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
When the worst public health crisis in generations began
to impact Cherokee communities in early spring of 2020, the Cherokee Nation responded in part by developing the largest food distribution in Cherokee history, to help offset food insecurities faced by Cherokee families in the wake of COVID-19. The Cherokee Nation served more than 6 million meals to more than 96,000 Cherokee Nation citizens through these efforts. To begin the emergency food distribution project, Cherokee Nation used emergency funds of more than $350,000 that had been set aside at the request of Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and the Council of the Cherokee Nation in 2019. These funds helped the tribe purchase its initial food supplies for Cherokee families. The tribe also received critical funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to feed even more Cherokees. The food boxes were packaged with the help of Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses employees, along with community volunteers, and delivered throughout the Cherokee Nation reservation. Cherokee Nation partnered with more than 30 Cherokee community organizations and non-profits across the reservation and worked with members of the Council to host drive-through food distribution events to ensure food supplies were put straight into the hands of Cherokee families.
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Cherokee Nation citizen Geraldine Dobbs, of Inola, lives on a fixed income and has health issues that prevent her from going to the store to pick up her groceries. “I am so thankful to get the food packages,” said Dobbs. “It fills in on things I couldn’t afford at the grocery store. It helps not only with the convenience but also the affordability. I don’t know what I would have done without Cherokee Nation, they have helped me so much. All of it is very helpful. I use every bit of it.” For Cherokee Nation citizen Sue Switzer, of Tahlequah, the Cherokee Nation’s emergency food distribution assistance was vital during the pandemic. “The first time I opened the box, it was just like Christmas morning,” Switzer said. “With being on fixed income and my husband having respiratory problems, the food packages were a big help. The Cherokee Nation has just helped my family out tremendously.” The Cherokee Nation also partnered with Hunger Free Oklahoma to distribute more than 30,000 ready-made meals to Cherokee elders during the pandemic. These pre-packaged meals helped to fill the void left by the temporary closure of senior nutrition sites throughout the Cherokee Nation’s 14 counties. “During times of great uncertainty and hardship, the Cherokee people have never shied away from standing on the front lines,” Chief Hoskin said. “We pool our resources and help in any way possible. By working with the Council of the Cherokee Nation, our tribal and business employees, community volunteers, Cherokee community organizations and other non-profit and federal partners, we were able to ease the worry of some 96,000 Cherokee citizens who faced potential food insecurities caused by COVID-19. I am so proud of what the Cherokee people have accomplished by working together to keep food on the table of our most vulnerable citizens during the pandemic.” Cherokee Nation leaders worked with Cherokee Nation and CNB employees and community organizers to distribute more than 6 million meals during the tribe's largest emergency food distribution effort in history.
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
The Cherokee Nation’s investment
of $25 million into a series of new construction and remodel projects throughout Northeast Oklahoma is helping the tribe keep citizens and employees safe as it fights the COVID-19 virus. In April of 2020, the Cherokee Nation received a portion of federal CARES Act dollars to help with recovery efforts in the wake of COVID-19. Cherokee Nation set aside $25 million from the federal funds to construct eight new buildings and remodel four existing properties throughout the reservation, including in Tahlequah, Belfonte, Stilwell, Kansas, Jay, Vinita, Catoosa, Pryor, Muskogee and Hulbert. Sites range from manufacturing facilities that will produce personal protection equipment like face masks, to additional space for tribal
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employees to practice socialdistancing measures. “We focused these projects on areas where the needs were, and we knew the needs in each community are different,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “We know the best way to ensure we have the protective equipment we need to keep us safe during the COVID-19 pandemic is to allow Cherokees to produce them here in the Cherokee Nation. Not only is that short-term benefit allowing us to address COVID, but it’s a longterm benefit in that we can be better prepared for any health crisis that could emerge in the future. These projects are truly investments into the health and safety of our Cherokee people that will last for years and years.” In Hulbert and Stilwell, the Cherokee Nation will begin
manufacturing its own PPE equipment, including N95 masks. The Stilwell manufacturing site is located in a remodeled facility formerly used by CNI, and the tribe plans to hire approximately 20 employees at this location. The Cherokee Nation also created a facility in Stilwell that is bringing together a number of tribal services under one roof, including the Career Services and Human Services programs that previously worked out of separate offices in Stilwell. Putting these important services in one location will help keep citizens safe. Stacy Bird, of Stilwell, is a Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare employee who will be working at this new location. “I’m proud to be a small part of something so significant to our Cherokee citizens and our
ᎧᏃᎮᏓ NEWS community,” said Bird. “A site like this will help our local citizens, who aren’t able to travel far, be able to go to one place for many different services. We are living in difficult times right now. Cherokee Nation has been
Dayci Starr, a sixth-grader at the Cherokee Immersion School, made more than 100 masks for her class, family and health care workers.
Cherokees make masks to protect communities
working hard to keep their employees and citizens as safe as possible.” The 4,000-square-foot facilities in Vinita, Kansas, Belfonte, and Jay will be used for food outreach space. The projects also include additional
office space for social distancing in Catoosa and Muskogee, and a new 6,000-square-foot employee health center next to the Cherokee Nation W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah.
Cherokee Nation citizens around the country began working at the grassroots level in the spring of 2020 to make cloth face masks to help stop the transmission of COVID-19. Rustie Miller lived in Indiana in March of 2020 and wanted to help. She borrowed her friend’s sewing machine and started sewing masks. “Being Cherokee is my everything,” she said. “My people are my life, and I would help any elder or fellow Cherokee without hesitation. I was determined to do my part to help my community and my people in Cherokee Nation.” Eleven-year-old Dayci Starr, from Stilwell, is a sixth-grade student at the Cherokee Immersion School in
Tahlequah. She made more than 100 masks for her classroom, family, and health care workers during the health crisis. Her efforts began when she learned the staff at her doctor’s office were running out of masks. “Her doctor was really excited to get those because he said they were down to their last six, when she started,” Dayci’s mother, Denise Starr, said. Dayci learned to sew a few years ago at a camp offered by Adair County 4-H, a youth development program of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. “My papa is 75, and I really wanted to help protect him and all my family,” Dayci said.
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
Cherokee Casino & Hotel West Siloam Springs Sous Chef Billy Flynn
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ᎧᏃᎮᏓ NEWS
T
ourism is the third largest industry in the state of Oklahoma, with an annual economic impact of more than $9.6 billion. Throughout the past year, the industry’s success yielded to the effects of the global pandemic, COVID-19. On March 16, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. issued a state of emergency for Cherokee Nation and ordered Cherokee Nation Businesses to temporarily suspend all operations at Cherokee Nation entertainment destinations, including casinos, hotels, museums and more, demonstrating a commitment to protecting employees, guests, citizens and communities above all else. CNB immediately began work developing a set of strategies to help navigate the ongoing pandemic. The “Responsible Hospitality” plan identified changes to operations that would support a safe environment for guests and employees upon reopening. “We knew that how we moved forward from this pandemic would be a part of our legacy,” said Chuck Garrett, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses. “We’ve implemented industry-leading protocols that promote the health and
safety of our team members and guests. Our response was aggressive, as it should have been, and we feel confident that we’ve stayed on the right side of history here by prioritizing people over profits. While the guest experience may be different than before, we continue to deliver the same first-class hospitality and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa's Clean Team working to keep entertainment our guests have guests safe and sound. come to know and love.” “Responsible Hospitality” was instrumental in safely reopening the casinos and continues to evaluate and address entertainment operations as the pandemic unfolds. Within the plan are procedures for physical distancing, enhanced cleaning and sanitization, as well as
additional measures such as limited hours of operation, occupancy restrictions and the required use of masks by all. “The ‘Responsible Hospitality’ plan was designed to be a fluid, evolving program that addresses the needs of now while working toward the future,” said Mark Fulton, COO of Cherokee Nation Entertainment. “We look forward to revising, streamlining and implementing improved measures as we progress toward a more resilient future and returning our properties, amenities and services to full operation.”
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NEWS ᎧᏃᎮᏓ
Cherokee Nation citizen Brent Pigeon, who lost his job during the COVID-19 pandemic, is using the tribe's Respond, Recover and Rebuild initiative to learn a new trade.
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ᎧᏃᎮᏓ NEWS
Cherokee Nation citizen Brent Pigeon went to work on
“It’s a blessing to know the Cherokee Nation is behind Aug. 27, 2020, just like every day before, leaving his home in their citizens because I really do think that they want to see Welling, Oklahoma, and driving to his welding job in Tulsa, Cherokee people succeeding in life,” he said. where he had been employed for over 15 years. Pigeon hopes other Cherokees who are in need of a job But when Pigeon arrived in Tulsa, he soon found himself or who are wanting to consider a career change, no matter without a job, having been laid off due to a decline in their age, will use the training programs offered through the welding jobs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cherokee Nation. “They came to me and nine other guys, and I thought, ‘Oh New programs offered through Career Services are often no, here it is. I don’t have a job,’” Pigeon said. “You know, publicized through Cherokee Nation’s Facebook page, and you have been here for so long more information is always and make so much money and available at www.cherokee.org then it’s gone, just like that. It’s under the Career Services tab. devastating. Like anyone that has “In the midst of the worst a steady job for that long, you public health crisis in generations, accumulate things, and now you one of the best ways to provide have to start thinking about how relief to Cherokee citizens is am I going to pay for my truck, to make sure they have an how am I going to get the kids opportunity to learn new skills to school, how are we going and find the employment to buy groceries?” they need to provide for their At age 42 and with children families,” said Deputy Chief in school, Pigeon didn’t want to Bryan Warner. “This relief leave home to find a welding through the Respond, Recover job, which seemed like his and Rebuild initiative is a longonly choice. term investment that goes hand “The company I was with was in-hand with the historic Career one of the last ones that kept Readiness Act Chief Hoskin and going around here, so I thought I signed in 2019 with the support if it came down to it, I would of the Council of the Cherokee have to pack up and provide Nation. Together, these programs for my family in another state,” are making a significant difference he said. “But luckily, Cherokee for Cherokees.” Nation was there to help.” Pigeon expects to graduate Fiber technician training program participant Nickolas Huck practices adding In July, Principal Chief Chuck from the fiber technician training wire and getting ready for a fiber pull. Hoskin Jr. announced the program in early 2021. Cherokee Nation was dedicating “I never thought I’d lose my more than $7 million in funding to increase career training job or have to find another job or career path. But thank and employment opportunities for Cherokees like Pigeon God Cherokee Nation was there to provide this 42-yearwho were seeking relief from the effects of the pandemic. old man with kids and a fiancé, with a new career path,” Pigeon’s mother shared a Facebook post advertising the he said. Cherokee Nation’s new fiber technician training program. Pigeon saw an opportunity to pick up a new trade and get Career Services programs are limited to Cherokees living back to work, so he contacted Cherokee Nation Career within the tribe’s reservation. Other eligibility requirements Services. By October, Pigeon was in the classroom learning may apply. For more information, contact the nearest Cherokee a new skill. Nation Career Services office or call 918-453-5555.
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PEOPLE ᎠᏂᏴᏫ
In a medical building across from the W.W.
Hastings Hospital emergency room in Tahlequah, the Cherokee Nation’s Public Health medical director is at his desk wired to his phone giving guidance to a Cherokee citizen positive for COVID-19. She has body aches and isn’t sleeping well. “I got up to do work in the kitchen and pain radiated through my body,” a female voice on the other line echoes, while coughing in the background. “Your body is fighting off the virus,” Medical Director Dr. David Gahn says. “I recommend
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Tylenol, stretching, and Benadryl helps with the sleep. Because of your symptoms, our infectious disease doctor may be able to help you through this. I’m going to send him your name and number and have his staff call you.” It’s just 10 a.m., but this is a typical day for the Cherokee Nation’s public health contact tracing team, now working seven days a week. About 90 employees ranging from public health educators, nurses, dental and health administrative staff make COVID-19 calls.
ᎠᏂᏴᏫ PEOPLE
They are shut in their offices, with white noise machines outside their doorways, drowning out sensitive conversations with patients. They calm fears. They contact others who may have been exposed to isolate them. They work quickly to keep the virus from taking any more Cherokee lives. There were more than 6,000 positive COVID cases and more than 40 deaths in the Cherokee Nation health system between March and early December. Lately cases have surged from about 30 new positive cases per day to now 100. “This is pretty traumatic. I’ve been through medical school and residency training. Sixteen years ago, I read the book ‘The Great Influenza of 1918.' Now, as the infectious disease epidemiologist, I’m here taking care of the Cherokee people during a global catastrophe,” Gahn said. “But, we believe in what we do. Every phone call is important and helping someone get through this.” For a new response system, it’s well-oiled and working. The nursing group calls and informs patients of their new positive COVID status. The case investigators call those who may have been around the patient, urging them to quarantine and get tested. The more specialized team of contact tracers, such as Dr. Gahn, call citizens every day to check on their symptoms and health status, urging patients with any signs prevalent that hospitalization is needed to go to the ER. He logs every call in a small notebook, marking red circles next to items needing follow up. Gahn has an extensive medical background and spent his career serving the Cherokee Nation. He started with the tribe in 2002 as an OBGYN physician with the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He eventually became a medical chief of staff, before leaving to work in Afghanistan for three years. When he returned he asked to work in public health. Cherokee Nation’s public health office is accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and in 2016 became the first tribe in the country to hold the honor.
Gahn, and his counterpart Lisa Pivec, the senior director of public health, work with national native health organizations and serve on advisory committees with leading agencies like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. “All our public health and clinical staff exhibit a commitment rooted in the knowledge that our ancestors persevered for us to be here and we owe the same to the next generations,” said Pivec, who has worked nearly 30 years at Cherokee Nation. “We are all helping the Cherokee people by trying our best to provide accurate and timely information regarding COVID-19, patient support and contact tracing as fast as possible and with as many tools and resources possible. Ultimately, it is all designed to help prevent the spread of the virus and save lives.” From Gahn’s tidy office adorned with vintage medical bags, his Corps dress hat and some feather quill pens on his desk, he logs off a virtual meeting with Pivec, after the two discuss some positive COVID cases within a Cherokee Nation department and who should be quarantined. He spends two hours on his daily report on COVID cases for Cherokee Nation, the region, state and country to inform the tribe’s medical staff. After lunch, he meets with two of the tribe’s top doctors to study whether rapid tests or lab tests are any more reliable than the other. “So far there is no evidence that one is more accurate than the other,” he quickly chimes in. By the end of the day he’s managed to call 27 positive COVID patients, track them, guide them on what to expect and by the time he's wrapping up the conversation, has eased their fears. “Public Health’s primary role is to stop the spread of the virus. As the medical director, I rely on my clinical, epidemiological public health knowledge because the Cherokee people are depending on us, and trusting Cherokee Nation Health Services to do our job and do it well. While it’s exhausting work, it’s also comforting to know with all these employees, the Cherokee people are being cared for.”
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PEOPLE ᎠᏂᏴᏫ
By Arielle Barnett
B
efore the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the United States, Cherokee Nation leaders were taking proactive measures on the reservation to help the tribe prepare for the pending spread of the virus at the local and regional levels. This included activating the Cherokee Nation Emergency Operations Center, which gave tribal services the opportunity to prepare for the virus and the impact it would have on the Cherokee Nation reservation. Cherokee Nation Health Services not only played a critical role in the tribe’s proactive approach to fending off community spread of COVID-19, but continued to be a crucial frontline resource for treating patients and saving the lives of Cherokee citizens who unfortunately contracted the virus. “On March 2, we developed a task force to oversee pandemic operations within the health system. Our frontline operations have evolved throughout the year and the projects and service lines that we would normally devote months to planning, were initiated within a span of days,” said Dr. Rebecca Shepherd, senior director of nursing. Initial efforts involved the establishment of a COVID-19 call center, including lines specifically dedicated to Cherokee
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ABOVE: Redbird Smith Health Center Ambulatory Nurse Manager Contrel Mayes RIGHT: Melanie Stacey, OR Services Nurse Manager; Becky Jackson, OR Services Supervisory Clinical Nurse; and Kathina Lowe, OR Special Projects Officer.
ᎠᏂᏴᏫ PEOPLE
speakers, and others that connected patients with Cherokee Nation Public Health and Behavioral Health providers. Cherokee Nation also set up a COVID-19 screening clinic, helping to reduce the burden placed on the emergency department and urgent care operations. Other efforts were also implemented in response to COVID-19. “To protect our patients and health care workforce, we increased the use of telemedicine across the health system, and COVID-19 drive-through screening and testing was made available at all health centers,” Shepherd said. “Employee addressed without an in-person health operations expanded to visit to a health center. include workplace screening, Cherokee Nation Health IT employee travel monitoring, was also instrumental in forming and employee return-to-work drive-through screening and testing. We have provided patient testing infrastructure, across the monitoring and case management Cherokee Nation reservation, and for those with confirmed or in expanding access to the online suspected COVID-19 and their Patient Portal and creating the contacts. An outstanding direct COVID-19 dashboard, which care team of physicians, providers tracks pandemic development. and nurses have adapted quickly Onsite Facilities Management, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Lt. Talara Taylor, to procedural changes and Security and APRN, and Dr. Brett Nelson of the Wilma P. Mankiller Health Center practice the new telemedicine communication. demonstrated resilience, patience Environmental and above all, compassion for our Services also communities. They, with the help of staff members from played an integral part in keeping the many ancillary services, made these initial efforts possible. health centers safe and pandemic Sharing of staff and the willingness to take on new or operations running smoothly by providing additional responsibilities have been a testament to our teamsignage, ensuring effective cleaning based approach at Cherokee Nation Health Services.” processes, and assisting with Laboratory Services have been critical to the success of screening, traffic control and Cherokee Nation’s testing initiatives. Laboratory Services increased call volume. provided training through four different testing processes, “Our health system has including reference lab and rapid tests. Through November of received overwhelming support 2020, Cherokee Nation Health Services labs processed more from our Cherokee Nation than 52,000 COVID-19 tests. administration, communities, and “Our emergency operations would not have been each other,” said Shepherd. “Our possible without the help of Health IT. They assisted with frontline teams continue to work the establishment of the call centers and remote working hard and even volunteer to take capabilities. These projects allowed our providers to safely on special projects. I could not be care for patients via telemedicine,” said Shepherd. more proud of our response Cherokee Nation Health Services provided more than to this pandemic. Whatever 60,000 telehealth visits with patients between April and comes our way, we survive and November of 2020, ensuring routine health matters could be thrive together.”
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PEOPLE ᎠᏂᏴᏫ
When 49-year-old Ryan Goldman arrived at the
Cherokee Nation W.W. Hastings Hospital Emergency Room in early October, his health had deteriorated rapidly in the days since his COVID-19 test confirmed he had contracted the virus. Goldman, of Evansville, Arkansas, wasn’t the first in his family to contract COVID-19; his daughter was first to experience symptoms, followed by his wife, and though they initially believed allergies were to blame, testing efforts soon confirmed both of them had contracted COVID-19. A few days later, on Oct. 6, 2020, Goldman received positive test results as well. “I thought I was going to skate through the whole process because other than a scratchy throat and an occasional cough, I didn’t have any other symptoms initially,” said Goldman. “Then just a few days before I was about to be released to go back to work, I started feeling sluggish and chilly. I took my temperature and had a fever. It went downhill fairly swiftly after that. Eventually, if I just sat up or walked to the bathroom I was completely weakened. The only thing I could think about was catching my breath. I knew I was not doing well.”
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Goldman’s wife drove him to the emergency room at W.W. Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah on Oct. 19, and the medical team immediately began evaluations. Goldman was treated with a steroid, convalescent plasma from a COVID-19 patient who had recovered from the virus, and remdesivir, an antiviral drug approved to treat the virus in patients requiring hospitalization. “I felt really lucky to be where I was,” said Goldman. “I began to quickly improve. The staff that took care of me – the nurses, the assistants, anyone who came in – they were attentive and really wanted to know how I was doing, how I felt and how I was improving. I appreciated that. They were professional – when I asked questions, they answered or they found answers. The physicians who took care of me gave me their treatment plan and walked me through it all. The treatment was really good.” As the number of positive COVID-19 cases within the tribal health care system soared throughout 2020, so too did the number of patients suffering from serious symptoms caused by the virus. This led to an increase in the number of Cherokees and citizens of other tribal nations seeking the life-saving services offered by Cherokee Nation Health
Shutterstock.com/Maridav
ᎠᏂᏴᏫ PEOPLE
Services during the pandemic. As of December, more than patients how thankful they are to have found the level of 400 patients had been hospitalized and treated for COVID dedication and compassion that is so fundamental to all of symptoms at Hastings Hospital. our Cherokee Nation outpatient health centers and the W.W. Facing a surge of COVID-19 cases Hastings Hospital. We understand the like the rest of the country in the latter incredible responsibility our health part of 2020, the Cherokee Nation system has in helping our citizens remained a leader throughout Indian be healthy and happy, and we will Country in its ability to aggressively continue to do everything within our and successfully treat COVID patients. power to uphold that responsibility.” “Cherokee Nation Health Services Goldman believes he waited too long is the largest tribally-operated health to seek medical treatment, and now care system in the United States, so encourages others not to ignore their we knew well before we had our first symptoms, especially shortness positive case of COVID-19 that a of breath. proactive and aggressive plan was “I know I should have gone in to necessary to keep our health care get help probably three or four days workers, patients and communities before I did,” said Goldman. “Don’t Cherokee citizen Ryan Goldman and his wife, Kelly, of Evansville, as safe as possible,” said Brian Hail, wait. If you start experiencing shortness Arkansas. COURTESY PHOTO. Cherokee Nation Health Services of breath, get medical help. The health Deputy Executive Director of External Operations. “This care workers at W.W. Hastings Hospital were there to help proactive approach to the virus has literally saved lives. We me and make me comfortable during my treatment, and I have heard time and again from recovering COVID-19 know they’ll be there for other patients as well.”
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ
Cherokee Nation used drive-through events to assist Cherokee elders in applying for direct COVID-19 assistance.
Cherokee Nation’s Respond, Recover and Rebuild COVID-19 initiatives have provided direct assistance to more than 215,000 Cherokee citizens living around the world By Samantha Robinson
The Cherokee Nation has more than 380,000 citizens
across the world and while all of them have likely been affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, Cherokee elders, Cherokee youth, and Cherokees with disabilities were especially impacted by the virus and the changes it so quickly forced on society. To help Cherokee citizens recover, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner unveiled a series of Respond, Recover and Rebuild COVID-19 initiatives to provide direct assistance to citizens both on the reservation and around the world who had suffered job loss, new
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difficulties with remote learning, and insecurities focused on food, utilities, housing and more. The first initiative provided clothing vouchers and technology stipends to Cherokee children ages 5 to 18, to help ease the impact of the pandemic and assist students with their transition to virtual learning. While many students used their funds for laptop computers, others secured Internet connectivity and other technology. For Paul George, the technology grants available for atlarge citizens made all the difference. He and his family live in Seattle, Washington. He was laid off in 2020 because of the economic challenges brought about by COVID-19. With a daughter in high school and a son in engineering school, they were both in need of computer upgrades in order to be able to learn remotely. “This pandemic is hurting everyone no matter where they live,” said George. “And I appreciate any help we can get. The tribe engaging with those of us who don’t live in the Oklahoma area was a huge help.”
ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES
The $30 million education initiative also assisted public schools with responding to the virus. Cherokee Nation also created an elder assistance initiative, which provided $1,200 in utility bill assistance to low-income Cherokee elders living within the tribal reservation boundaries, and a $400 direct economic assistance stipend to any Cherokee elder aged 62 or older regardless of income level and regardless of where they lived. In October, Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner announced the Respond, Recover and Rebuild disability assistance program to provide stipends to tribal citizens with disabilities living on the Cherokee Nation reservation in northeast Oklahoma. The monetary aid was open to all Cherokees on the tribal reservation regardless of age or income, could
be used for any expenses the family needed. The tribe also provided the stipend to any Cherokee veteran, regardless of where they lived, with a disability. Amanda Foreman, of Glenpool, is a Cherokee veteran on 100 percent disability, working for Cherokee Nation Career Services. Because she was able to work full-time, she said she did not qualify to apply for federal disability aid. “The fact that Cherokee Nation is stepping in and providing us a little assistance, it can go a long way,” said Foreman. “I thank them very much and would personally like to shake Chief ’s hand when the pandemic is over.” Cherokee Nation also launched a program in November aimed at providing a mobile hotspot and up to a year of service to thousands of Cherokee households lacking Internet access.
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ
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The Official Cherokee Nation News
ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner place signs at the Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center to show their appreciation to health employees.
T
he Cherokee Nation has been a leader among government agencies and health care services throughout Indian Country, fighting from the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic to slow and stop the spread of the virus among Cherokee communities and to provide Cherokee families with the assistance they need to recover from the greatest health crisis in generations. Medical science, facts and compassion have always been at the heart of the policies and procedures enacted by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner in response to COVID-19, a virus that is particularly dangerous to Native American elders and those with severe, long-lasting chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes.
“We now know that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native Americans have had the highest hospitalization rates due to COVID-19 when compared to other ethnic groups across the United States,” Chief Hoskin said. “Although we could not have known that this would be the case when the virus was first reported, the Cherokee Nation’s commitment to relying on medical science, facts and compassion from Day 1 allowed us to do everything within our means to slow and stop community spread. This approach also allowed us to provide assistance to Cherokee citizens across the world who were impacted by this pandemic, while implementing processes to protect the most vulnerable among us including our Cherokee speakers.” Amid growing concerns about the inevitable introduction of COVID-19 to the U.S. in early 2020, Chief Hoskin’s
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ administration began to hold proactive planning meetings School, the Cherokee Immersion Charter School and with Cherokee Nation Health Services, Cherokee Nation Cherokee Nation Head Start centers also closed. Tribal Facilities, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and services transitioned to virtual and mail-in operations and Cherokee Nation Emergency government employees began Management. working from home. For “Like much of the country, the first time ever, Cherokee we were watching the news Nation Entertainment casinos reports about the spread of the and hotels also temporarily coronavirus from around the suspended operations. world in January and February “Our first priority in March of 2020,” said Chief of Staff and April as COVID-19 began Todd Enlow. “We began to ask to sweep through our country ourselves: What is this going was making sure our citizens, to look like? It was different employees and patrons were than anything we’d ever had safe and cared for during the to respond to. We knew we pandemic,” said Deputy Chief would have to adapt quickly Bryan Warner. “Being proactive and overcome, so that’s what we was critical to our mission began to focus on.” and we remained vigilant in Oklahoma’s first confirmed our response, which had to be case of COVID-19 was reported adapted along the way. Looking Cherokee Nation uses stringent cleaning and surface-testing practices to keep on March 6, 2020. That same back on everything we’ve employees and guests safe at tribal facilities. Sequoyah Schools' employee Cody Alred sanitizes lockers in between classes. day, the Cherokee Nation’s new faced since March of 2020, COVID-19 call center went I am reminded of just how online to provide Cherokee citizens with answers to their blessed we are as a tribal nation to have the best employees. questions about the emerging threats posed by Their dedication and determination allowed us to adapt our the coronavirus. routines to best serve Cherokees during the health crisis. The Cherokee Nation also canceled a number of events We did everything within our power to stay a step ahead of throughout Northeast Oklahoma and around the country this virus, and our efforts led the way on a local, state and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Sequoyah High national level. Other leaders have consistently looked to the
MARCH 16 Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. ordered the temporary closure of the tribe’s casinos and hotels, along with Sequoyah Schools, the Immersion school, and Head Start programs.
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MARCH 16
MARCH 24
Chief Hoskin issued a shelter in place directive, citing a state of emergency in the Cherokee Nation. Most employees began working from home or were on paid leave.
Cherokee Nation reported its first case of COVID-19 in its health system.
The Official Cherokee Nation News
ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES Cherokee Nation for guidance on how to best weather this for others, and by implementing that initiative we have storm, and I think that speaks highly of the men and women successfully cut down on the risk of community spread and of Cherokee Nation who worked, and continue to work, on infection. There is no doubt that these efforts saved the frontlines.” countless lives.” To keep Cherokee citizens Chief Hoskin declared a State informed, the tribe developed of Emergency in the Cherokee public-service announcements Nation due to COVID-19 on in both Cherokee and English, April 1, 2020. The following encouraging the public to wear a day, with the help of Cherokee face mask, avoid traveling, wash community groups, members their hands often and practice of the Council of the Cherokee social distancing by staying at Nation, tribal employees and least 6 feet away from other community volunteers, the people – all based on guidance Cherokee Nation also began from medical experts. what became the largest In spite of those efforts, on emergency food distribution March 24, 2020, Cherokee effort in tribal history. More Nation Health Services reported than 96,000 Cherokee families its first confirmed case of were served 6 million meals COVID-19 in the Cherokee through the emergency food Nation health system. distribution efforts. The largest emergency food distribution effort in Cherokee Nation history “Because we took a proactive COVID-19 testing efforts provided food to more than 96,000 Cherokee families. stance on the spread of were also front and center as the COVID-19, Cherokee Nation health care professionals were tribe sought to provide accessible, safe testing opportunities prepared to respond when our first confirmed COVID-19 for citizens. The tribe’s first drive-through COVID testing case was discovered. We were also able to take every available occurred at the Cherokee Nation Vinita Health Center in precaution to ensure our Cherokee citizens affected by the mid-April, and soon after, all Cherokee Nation health centers virus were protected and had access to the best health care around the Cherokee Nation reservation began offering the in Indian Country,” Chief Hoskin said. “Our Public Health same services. By early November 2020, tribal health centers team’s contact tracing efforts have been a model example on the Cherokee Nation reservation had administered nearly
APRIL 3 Cherokee Nation began emergency elder food distribution efforts, part of the largest emergency food relief program in the tribe’s history. Also, Cherokee Nation Health Services established outdoor COVID-19 screening and testing efforts.
MARCH 26 Cherokee Nation Public Health contact tracing started to help respond to confirmed cases of COVID and minimize community spread.
APRIL 1
MAY 28
Chief Hoskin signed a COVID-19 disaster declaration for the Cherokee Nation.
Cherokee Nation announced a $332 million Respond, Recover and Rebuild spending plan to help citizens recover from the impact of COVID-19.
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FEATURES ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ 29,000 COVID-19 tests. million spending plan to use the tribe’s first portion of funds The tribe also expanded its use of telemedicine and set aside in CARES Act funding from the U.S. Treasury, teledentistry, providing patients with opportunities for safe, which had earmarked $8 billion to help tribal governments routine medical care through recover from the impact of face-to-face videoconferencing COVID-19. with providers. Between March “When the COVID-19 and early December of 2020, pandemic disrupted the lives there were nearly 60,000 of all of us, we reacted and telehealth visits. quickly adjusted to make “The Cherokee Nation tough but necessary decisions, has not experienced a health taking steps to stabilize a more crisis of this magnitude in than $100 million revenue many generations, but Deputy shortfall we had sustained,” Chief Warner and I knew we Chief Hoskin said. “We worked had to find a way to continue hard to make sure all of our providing critical services to employees continued to receive Cherokee citizens,” Chief full paychecks, while many of Hoskin said. “Just as Cherokees them were working remotely have always done, we were or were on paid administrative able to adapt to our concerns leave as our schools and by finding innovative ways to businesses were closed. When The Cherokee Nation's new meat processing plant was constructed in provide those services to our we received our portion of the part with COVID-19 relief funding and will serve Cherokee citizens facing citizens, like using telemedicine federal CARES Act funds, we food insecurities. and providing drive-through created the Respond, Recover testing. We couldn’t have and Rebuild spending plan to accomplished this without the thousands of Cherokee Nation restore operations, invest in an array of safety measures such employees who stood beside us and led those efforts. I am as buying personal protective equipment, and strengthen our proud of each and every one of them for their service to the Cherokee communities by helping with economic recovery.” Cherokee people.” The Respond, Recover and Rebuild spending plan ensured On May 28, the Cherokee Nation announced a $332 vital services to Cherokees continued with little to no
JULY 14 Cherokee Nation announced the Respond, Recover and Rebuild education initiative, which invested $30 million into technology and clothing stipends for Cherokee students and provided grant funding and other resources to public schools throughout the tribe’s reservation.
JUNE 1 Cherokee Nation government offices began phased reopening plan for employees that incorporated socialdistancing and staggered shifts.
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AUGUST 4
Cherokee Nation provided first responders throughout the tribe's reservation with care packages containing face masks, gloves and hand sanitizer.
Cherokee Nation launches Respond, Recover and Rebuild elder assistance initiative, which helped Cherokee elders with costs related to COVID-19, including food security and utility expenses.
The Official Cherokee Nation News
ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES interruption. The plan also bolstered the tribe’s emergency processing facility that will serve Cherokee citizens with food food distribution efforts to feed Cherokee elders, expanded insecurities. These projects will have a lasting impact on the emergency services to citizens with utilities or rental and Cherokee Nation.” housing payments, helped Many of the Respond, Cherokee families across the Recover and Rebuild globe purchase computers programs are also creating and other technology needs so new job opportunities for students could adapt to virtual Cherokee citizens. learning environments, provided “Because Cherokee Nation recovery funding for Cherokees is a responsible government, with disabilities, and expanded we have used the CARES employment programs to help Act funding to meet critical citizens get back to work. needs for our citizens and “The Respond, Recover and communities, and I can’t think Rebuild spending plan has given of a better use of those dollars the Cherokee Nation a chance to than providing jobs and safety not only restore our operations equipment, making sure our and assist our tribal citizens in elders have plenty of healthy recovering from COVID-19’s food, creating safe spaces for effects, but has allowed us to our employees and providing ensure we’re more prepared than accessible health care,” said Cherokee speaker Richard Soldier was among the first to receive a COVID-19 ever to continue fighting this Chief Hoskin. “Our citizens vaccine when the tribe received its initial doses in mid-December 2020. Soldier health crisis and any others that and our communities are the received the vaccine from Registered Nurse Casey LeadingFox. occur in the future,” Deputy foundation of our great tribal Chief Warner said. “We built nation. Like others across the or remodeled 12 facilities in 10 communities throughout globe, we have experienced devastating hardships in the past the Cherokee Nation so we can manufacture our own year. But we are working hand-in-hand, looking out for the PPE, provide space to our employees for social-distancing, Cherokee people and our neighbors. As Cherokees always improve our community food outreach efforts and help our do, we will emerge from this trial even stronger, and we’ll community organizations. We also constructed a new meat do it together.”
OCTOBER 9
SEPTEMBER 1-6
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner announced Cherokee Nation is building a meat processing plant to serve Cherokee citizens with food insecurities.
Cherokee Nation hosted the first ever virtual Cherokee National Holiday, choosing to forego an in-person celebration of the 68th annual event to help reduce the risk of community spread.
SEPTEMBER 8
DECEMBER 14
Cherokee Nation leaders broke ground on $25 million worth of Respond, Recover and Rebuild projects ranging from PPE manufacturing and space for social distancing, to food outreach sites and a new employee health care facility.
Cherokee Nation received its first allocation of the COVID-19 vaccine and began administering it to frontline health care workers and Cherokee elders as part of a multiphased distribution The Official Cherokee Nation News
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CULTURE
ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ
ᎢᏓᎵᏏᏅᏗᎲ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᎢᎩᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ
Protecting the language Cherokee speakers among most vulnerable to COVID-19’s impact By Jason McCarty
Across the Cherokee Nation reservation, COVID-19
has created unprecedented health and family crises during the pandemic, and nowhere is that more apparent than at the community level where Cherokee elders who serve as community knowledge keepers are at serious risk from the effects of the virus. Before COVID-19 reached the Cherokee Nation reservation in the spring of 2020, the Cherokee Nation had
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only about 2,000 fluent speakers, their average age being 67. Cherokee Nation Language Department Executive Director Howard Paden estimates the tribe loses about 100 speakers a year, but in 2020, nearly 20 first-language Cherokee speakers were lost to COVID-19 alone. Among many of their families, the virus impacted the entire household. “With the global pandemic, there has been added stress to the health systems, so sometimes doctor appointments and other procedures have had to be postponed and canceled,” Paden said. “We know the speakers miss our community events, including the monthly Cherokee speakers bureau luncheons. But we are trying to be as safe with our cultural resources and our invaluable language bearers as we possibly can.” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. has made elder protection a critical aspect of the Respond, Recover and Rebuild spending plan. Federal CARES Act dollars have boosted the tribal government’s abilities to directly help elders in need. An infusion of funding for elder aid has had a significant impact across communities in the Cherokee Nation. “At Cherokee Nation, putting elders first is simply our way of life. Our elders are precious and they deserve our respect. They are the reason we still have a thriving Cherokee Nation, so anything we can do for our elders, for our
ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ CULTURE
traditional speakers, we will,” said Chief Hoskin. “My family and the entire Cherokee Nation have been devastated by this unforgiving COVID virus. We have lost far too many wonderful citizens, all of them taken from us too soon.” Roy Boney, program manager for the Cherokee Language Department, is thankful that the tribe’s response efforts have alleviated household financial stresses through elder relief funding. “We have continued operating as best as we can. All of our first-language speakers on staff have been working remotely. Despite that, we have kept operations going. Some things have slowed down a bit, such as translation requests, but we still fulfill them,” Boney said. “Our community classes have been redirected to the online courses, which we expanded to account for the lack of in-person classes. Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program students continue via online Zoom sessions, and the Immersion school has focused on online instruction as well.” Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner have advocated for the advancement of Cherokee language preservation since being sworn into office in August of 2019. They created the Durbin Feeling Cherokee Language Preservation Act, a $16 million investment that will quadruple the Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program and establish a language program hub that will
house the Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program, the Cherokee Immersion School and the tribe’s Cherokee translators. “The Cherokee language is at the heart of the Cherokee Nation and our Cherokee speakers are such pillars of our communities, so we must continue to do everything within our abilities to protect them and help them recover from this virus, the likes of which we haven’t seen in generations,” Deputy Chief Warner said. “That’s why we continue to encourage everyone to wear masks and practice social distancing, and to follow the recommendations of our health care experts, who rely on medical science and facts to guide us forward in the aftermath of COVID-19.” In response to the virus, the Cherokee Nation translation team has translated a variety of public service announcements about how to practice social-distancing and hand-washing. “The terminology has always existed. For example, back during the Spanish flu during 1917-‘18, there were tracts published in Cherokee to inform our population about pandemic best practices,” Boney said. “So, we are doing that again but this time we do have the power of technology on our side to help spread the word. And as long as COVID is around, people can always take advantage of the language content we have online at language.cherokee.org and our online courses at learn.cherokee.org.”
The Official Cherokee Nation News
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F
rom sharing Cherokee stories and music through social media, to hosting the first ever virtual Cherokee National Holiday and providing Cherokee language classes in an online setting, the Cherokee Nation relied on innovative outreach opportunities in a world that quickly became more and more socially-distanced at the height of COVID-19. Cherokee Ambassadors shared their culture and language by reaching out to viewers around the globe on the tribe’s official social media platforms. Miss Cherokee Meekah Roy, Junior Miss Cherokee Desiree Matthews, and Little Cherokee Ambassadors AriaMae Cunningham, Reese Henson, Lindzee Scott, Jonah Asbill, Lucas Asbill and Wyatt Carey shared traditional stories, told about Cherokee traditions, and even told some light-hearted jokes to help during periods of quarantine. Recording his video at just 5 years old, Wyatt Carey encouraged the world to stay safe: “Mama said there are germs everywhere and we had to stay home and wash our hands.” And then, his first few jokes: “What do you call a bear with no teeth? A ‘gummy bear!’ And how do bees get to school? They take the ‘buzzzzz!’”
Miss Cherokee Meekah Roy
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The Official Cherokee Nation News
ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏗ CULTURE Cherokee Nation hosted its first virtual Cherokee National Holiday to help cut down on the risk of community spread. From the State of the Nation Address by Chief Hoskin to the annual inter-tribal powwow and other cultural events, Cherokee history and traditions were on full display, reaching nearly 900,000 people in a virtual format. Visitors from 35 states and 31 countries visited the Cherokee National Holiday website to participate.
Members of the Cherokee National Youth Choir recorded solo performances from the safety of their homes and shared them through the Cherokee Nation Facebook page in March, April and May of 2020. Their performances reached more than 1.3 million people around the world, who watched 3,050 hours’ worth of the choir’s music. The videos were shared more than 10,100 times. “Knowing that I was able to entertain others or maybe uplift someone during this difficult time means so much to me,” said Cherokee National Youth Choir member Leann Bell said. “I felt so honored to be able to share the language through songs to comfort and uplift others during these times of uncertainty.”
Cherokee language programs such as the Cherokee Immersion School and Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program moved to virtual learning to continue preserving and protecting the Cherokee language. For the Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program, which is an adult Cherokee language immersion program, communication with fluent Cherokee speakers is key. “Our program participants are all provided tablets to use video conferencing from home. The master speakers, first-language speaking Cherokee teachers, are also provided a laptop or tablet to provide consistent contact with the participants,” said CLMAP Supervisor Ryan Mackey. “Constant contact with master Cherokee speakers is vital to maintain consistent growth in the language. So far we have been able to approximate the same growth in language proficiency using video conferencing as we have using face-to-face classes.”
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